After all, what's the point of setting players loose to explore a massive landscape in any way they see fit if it isn't teeming with exciting possibilities?

Thankfully, "Far Cry 3" ($60; PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) satisfies the sandbox-genre wish list in every conceivable way. Interspersed among the lengthy and enjoyable single-player story are countless side quests. Driving, hunting, exploration, platforming and even some high-stakes poker provide plenty of reasons to venture off the beaten path.

Developer Ubisoft Montreal doesn't go out of its way to create a sympathetic protagonist.

"Far Cry's" campaign opens with rich kid Jason Brody and his fellow trust-fund partiers living it up on vacation on a lush, tropical island in the Pacific. The friends get separated while skydiving, however, and end up kidnapped by a ruthless gang of pirates.

Vaas, the charismatic leader of the pirate band, imprisons Jason and his brother, and plans to ransom the rest of the silver-spooners before selling them into slavery. After a dramatic escape, it's up to players to transform Jason from a spoiled frat boy into a ferocious warrior in order to save his friends.

Jason draws strength from a sacred tattoo on his arm. As players gain experience, they add new ink, unlocking skills that provide boosts to combat, exploration and abilities.

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There are dozens of valuable perks available, including those that amplify health, provide better accuracy in combat and allow Jason to hold his breath longer while underwater.

With a little help from the island's native inhabitants, Jason loosens the pirates' powerful grip piece by piece, overthrowing enemy compounds and climbing radio towers to make more terrain visible on the in-game map. Killing all the guards at a pirate stronghold will permanently clear the surrounding area of patrolling enemies.

Unpredictable, violent and downright crazy, pirate leader Vaas has all the makings of a terrific villain.

How you go about dispatching foes is a matter of preference. Use a sniper rifle to pick off enemies from afar, or sneak in close, cut the alarm and silently take out unsuspecting guards with a knife. For those who thrive on chaos, why not shoot open the latch of a nearby tiger cage and let the big cat do the dirty work?

The wild beasts are plentiful and they hunger for more than just pirates. Players will need to stay on their toes at all times or risk becoming an apex predator's next meal.

These random encounters are an important part of "Far Cry's" appeal. It's not rare to turn a corner and find natives and pirates engaged in a fierce gun battle, or to see an explosion spark a raging fire that quickly spreads, trapping Jason and his enemies.

Hunting the island's exotic animals allows Jason to upgrade his equipment and carry more ammunition, stat-boosting syringes or found treasures.

Despite being a raving lunatic, Vaas makes for a wonderfully memorable villain. He's part of a terrific cast of supporting characters who keep "Far Cry's" story moving at a brisk pace as they aid in Jason's transformation.

It's a shame the generic enemies aren't nearly as impressive. Eliminating bad guys is rarely difficult. They're easy to sneak up on. Simpler still is shooting one from a distance, then gunning down his comrades one by one as they wander over to inspect the body.

Also unfortunate is being limited to carrying four weapons at once. From explosive arrows and grenade launchers to flamethrowers and a vehicle-repair tool, there's a wide variety of thrilling weaponry at Jason's fingertips. Once players identify a couple of favorites, however, there's little reason to experiment with the rest.

As if "Far Cry's" ample single-player campaign weren't enough, Ubisoft also offers a four-player co-operative mode, as well as competitive multiplayer and a map editor. I got a kick out of completing objectives online in co-op, but the competitive mode doesn't compare favorably to other top-tier shooters.

All told, "Far Cry 3" is an extremely ambitious title that satisfies in many ways. Even after you finish Jason's quest, you'll find plenty of reasons to rejoin the adventure.

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